Category: Magazine

Malaysia - In a difficult situation

Since its independence, Malaysia has been endeavouring to build an efficient navy. However, corruption and funding problems are hampering important procurement programmes. Malaysia is a founding member of Asean and maintains defence agreements with Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the UK as part of the Five Power Defence Arrangement. However, in the event of a threat to one of the member states, only mutual consultations are provided for. In recent years, the Malaysian armed forces have been confronted with shrinking military budgets. In 2014, the budget was 4.035 billion US dollars, in 2018 it was only 3.208 billion, which corresponds to around 1.5 per cent of gross domestic product. These declining defence budgets also have a serious impact on the Malaysian navy, which is in the midst of...

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Vaccination as a top priority - Portuguese admiral makes his country a frontrunner

He only retired from his post as Fleet Commander of the Portuguese Navy (2017 to 2020, a good part of which he also served as Commander European Maritime Force (EUROARFOR)) at the beginning of 2020, but he doesn't have much time left as a pensioner for the time being. At the beginning of 2021, when the infection figures in Portugal were at the top of the world after the second coronavirus wave and the health system's dams were threatening to break with 2,000 deaths per week, clever politicians remembered Vice Admiral Henrique Gouveia e Melo: could this naval officer achieve what politicians are perhaps not trusted to do - namely cross-sectional herd immunity in the population...

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Type 31 frigate - first export order for Babcock

Two years ago, Indonesia announced at the London defence trade fair DSEI (Defence & Security Equipment International) that the British shipbuilding group Babcock, with its ARROWHEAD-140 design for the Royal Navy's new Type 31 frigate, was the preferred supplier for a corresponding newbuilding programme to be carried out at the domestic state shipyard PT PAL in Surabaya. It was announced at this year's DSEI that, following negotiations with Babcock, a licence construction contract for two frigates has now also been signed there. This is the first export order for the ARROWHEAD design. As the basic model allows for a range of individual configuration options, the national requirements will first be incorporated and then finalised.

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Greek-French - how shipbuilding is turning into a new security alliance

Security alliances declared out of nowhere are currently booming - this is not only due to the end of contact and exit restrictions during the pandemic, but perhaps more to the global power shifts that can no longer be denied. Following the failure of the submarine deal with Australia, the ball is now in France's court. Paris has rediscovered an old ally that is in need of a comprehensive overhaul of its navy: Greece. During the conflict over natural gas reserves in the north-eastern Mediterranean two years ago, France was the only EU state to send two frigates to the area to support Greece against Turkey. Thankfully, Greece has been able to stand by with its...

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Hamburg can do that

What would the Hanseatic city be without its multifaceted maritime economy? Although naval shipbuilding with its suppliers and service providers is rarely recognised, it is a world-class technology player. The greater Hamburg area has traditionally been a centre of gravity for the maritime industry and economy, be it innovative (naval) shipbuilding, global maritime shipping, the diverse range of ship chandlers and shipbuilding suppliers, effective maritime logistics, the port industry or the world's leading technology providers and users of marine and offshore technology. Together with a comprehensive range of maritime services and world-renowned maritime educational, research and testing facilities as well as maritime associations and organisations, the greater Hamburg area is the location of the maritime industry and economy in Europe....

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